The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-01-15

they dispute, let that party have the manage
ment upon which the responsibility has been
In this connection and with reference to this
responsibility, your attention Ia called to the
| reports OF the Board Of Managers and other
'T You viii II 'pD learn g sborefrom hss notwhsond
| ing the fact that more men are working on the
piecc.price plan than ever before, yet the insti-
tuition is again solfsustaining. This Is duo to an
cnicient management that keeps all the mon
| employed.-and makes faithful accounts OF all
| their earnings.
cleanliness and general good order prevail
| You will find, also, that while no maudn sent
| mont is allowed to stand in the way OF treating
the inmates as convicted criminals under SEN
tcncc to confinement and hard labor. yet every
man is treated with all the consideration and
kindness that can be prompted by constant
recognition OF the fact that they are human
beings, to be reformed II possible, rs well as
punished, before they are restored to society.
To this end they are we'll fed well clothed, not
ovcrtashed, and never cruelty punished.
The managers and the warden, in their re-
ports discuss the question Of how convict labor
should be utilized Their discussion is based on
their experience and the practical results Of tho
different systems, On this account what they
have to say is entitled to more than casual con
sideration. Nevertheless, there are some I'D
vantages OF tho piecc-price plan which they
have not mentioned, among them tho right each
prisoner has Of doing over-worlt for his own
benefit. II not allowed to squandcr his earn
ings but permitted to have them passed to his
credit to be paid him whom discharged, they
will be great help to him at that time, as well
as source OF encouragement to good conduct
while In confinement While. therefore, not 80
profitable mode of employment, yet 1t is ono
that should be continued ut least until IL
has had full and fair trial, on the principle
that there Ia more than mere dollars and cents
involved In the utilization OF convict labor. To
the end. however, that the managers may be en-
ablcd to keep all the convcts constantly en-
ployed, they should be given the privilege they
ask for, OF working tho men on both the piece
price and the contract system, accordingly as
the nature Of the work to be done and the exi-
gencios that arise may require.
Whether they are worked on the one plan or
the other cannot make any appreciable differ
cncc to outside labor with which they come into
competition. Since no matter by which plan on
article is produced 1t necessarily lessons, to
elsewhere.
The only way to diminish this competition
and prevent the injury occasioncd by 1t Is to
limit the number OF men to be employed at any
one industry, by employing thcm ut hand-work
and on the public buildings and the public high
ways Everything else that has been suggested
seems theoretical rather than practical
The following tabulated statement shows the
population current expense and the cost per
capita in the several public institutions for the
year ending November 10, 1888. together with
comparison between the per capita cost for the
years 1885 and 1886.
The figures given speak more forcibly than
any words that can be used OF the economy that
has prevailed In tho financial management 1t
will be observed that this cost has been largely
reduced, in comparison with last year, with the
single exception o. the Institution for the Blind